A Silent Epidemic: Eating Disorders in Boys

 When you think of someone with an eating disorder, chances are you imagine a female. You might imagine a young teenager, struggling to maintain a certain image in order to fit in at school, or maybe a young adult trying to avoid the dreaded “Freshman 15” during the early days of college.

What you probably don’t think of are boys. Most people don’t even consider issues of body image as they relate to boys, assuming that all teenage boys have healthy appetites, or that they aren’t concerned with their appearance. However, research shows that nearly a quarter of all people with eating disorders are male — that’s nearly 10 million boys and men — and according to the National Eating Disorders Association, the numbers are on the rise.

Because there is such a misconception about who suffers from eating disorders, many males go undiagnosed, often with tragic consequences to their health and well-being. However, awareness of the problem is growing, and expanded treatment options for male eating disorder patients are becoming more commonplace.

A Surprising Killer

Like females, eating disorders in males tend to be one of three types: anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and binge eating. Anorexia nervosa is a potentially life-threatening condition in which an individual shows extreme body dysmorphia — i.e., thinking he is overweight when he is well below the normal weight for his height and body type. Anorexics exhibit extreme control over their eating, often refusing to eat out of fear of gaining weight, and tend to develop strict eating rituals, including purging.

Bulimia nervosa also involves issues of body image, but individuals will often binge, sometimes taking in thousands of calories in one sitting, and then attempt to purge via extreme measures, including self-induced vomiting, laxative abuse and extreme exercise. Binge eating also involves taking in massive amounts of calories, but patients don’t attempt to purge afterwards.

men eating disordersAll of these conditions are serious. In many cases, it’s not only being unhappy with one’s body that causes an eating disorder to take hold. Experts note that in both sexes, eating disorders are often related to significant mental health issues, including obsessive compulsive disorder, anxiety and depression. Many times patients feel out of control over their lives, and eating is the one thing that is easy for them to control.

That being said, conforming to societal ideals regarding body size and shape is also a factor in many boys’ eating disorders. Over the past 30 years, popular media has presented a lean, muscular body as the ideal for men of all ages. Even popular toys geared toward boys have become more muscular; toys like Barbie dolls get a lot of attention for their unrealistic portrayal of women’s bodies, but super hero action figures and other male dolls also present an unrealistic ideal, often with bulging muscles, “six pack” abdominals and little to no body fat.

The result is that boys feel just as much pressure as girls to look a certain way, and often turn to drastic measures, including eating disorders, to meet those supposed standards.

Awareness and Prevention

Parents, teachers and friends of boys might not think that they need to be aware of eating disorders or their warning signs, but that’s not true. It’s important to be vigilant for signs of a problem, so you can seek help.

Some of the signs of an eating disorder that all parents should watch for include:

  1. Extreme changes in weight. It is normal for children to gain a few pounds a year while they are still growing. However, if your child is gaining weight more rapidly, or if they are losing large amounts of weight, it’s important to see a doctor.
  2. Extreme exercise. Is your teen spending hours working out? If your child seems obsessed with exercising and spends every spare moment doing some type of physical activity, investigate further.
  3. Changes in diet and/or eating patterns. One of the hallmarks of an eating disorder is strict rules regarding what one will and will not eat. If your child suddenly cuts out entire types of food, or will only eat specific types of food, be concerned. Watch for obsessive behaviors as well, like cutting food into small bites, counting bites and excess seasoning.
  4. Obsession with body image. Listen to your son. If he is constantly criticizing himself or others, comparing himself to others or otherwise seems obsessed with his body, see a doctor.

Most parents do not expect their sons to deal with eating disorders, but it’s more common than you might think. If you suspect that someone you love has an eating disorder, seek help. It could save his life.

Post Footer automatically generated by wp-posturl plugin for wordpress.

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *